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A Reading Strategy for the Book of Job
Purpose: Suffering- - Why? Also: Who
is Wise?
Reading Strategy: A play in five acts
(1) Prologue (1-2)
(2) Job’s dialogue with his
“friends” (3-31)
(3) Elihu’s Monologue (32-37)
(4) God’s speech to Job
(38-42:6)
(5) Epilogue (42:7-17)
I.
Prologue (1-2)- Takes us “behind the
scenes” to see the Council of God.
Important points: Job is
righteous and blameless; Satan must request God’s permission for
bringing about evil; Satan will attempt to make Job curse God (through both
his wife and friends, those closest to him).
II.
Job’s Dialogue with his
“friends” (3-31)- Eliphaz,
Bildad, and Zophar are
the representation of the wise men and their idea of a retribution theology: God blesses the righteous; he curses the
wicked.”
A.
If Job is suffering, then he must
have sinned against God (Read: 4:7-11; 11:13-20). IOW: If you sin, then you suffer. This is not true however! (cf. Job
1-2). God allows this to befall a
righteous “son” (cf. Heb. 12:5-11).
B.
Job’s “friends”somewhat
represent man’s attempt at understanding all of God’s counsel
from their limited perspective, while God’s wisdom remains aloof -
-mysterious. God alone has the true
answer for our sufferings (and sometimes it is silence).
C.
Job’s response- Read: Job 28:12-28- Job’s “moment
of clarity”.
D.
Job 30:20- back to depression (this reveals how all of our faith
wavers when suffering is upon us).
III.
Elihu’s Monologue (32-37)- He is the youngest and has
waited his turn to speak (as was the custom in the ANE). He comes to the same conclusion, ultimately
Job is suffering because of his sinned (Read: Job 34:11, 25-27, 37). He makes a good point about suffering
being chastisement, but in Job’s situation this is not the case (cf. Prologue).
IV.
God’s Speech/Explanation
to Job (38-42:6)
A.
Who rather than why should be Job’s question
to himself when suffering. God
answers Job by teaching Job from where true wisdom comes (38:1-3; 38:36-37;
39:14-18, 26)
B.
Read: Job 42:5, 6
V.
Epilogue (42:7-17)- Job’s response of submission, repentance, and wisdom to the
Sovereign God.
LESSONS
1.
God alone is wise and takes care of all things justly and
righteously in his world (Rom. 11:33-36). He is the Source of true
wisdom.
2.
Suffering is not necessarily a result of sin- John 9 (cause and
effect has its place as a principle in life, but cause and effect are
submitted to a Person: the Living God.
He is not subsumed under some mechanical, deterministic, cause and
effect. And thus he remains God: mysterious
and aloof, even as he reveals himself to us in Scripture (as he should be).
3.
Proper response to God is submission and repentance regardless of
circumstances.
4.
When suffering ask not Why
but remind yourself of Whom - -that is, God.
5.
When helping other’s with suffering, love them
compassionately. Listen to them, encourage
them - -but listen more than speaking!
6.
Ultimately, God is glorified in the suffering of his faithful
servants.
CHRIST-CENTERED APPLICATION
Jesus
is the only true innocent sufferer- - the only one completely without
sin. He voluntarily submits himself
to suffering in order to glorify God and remedy the problem of suffering in
the world by giving victory and everlasting life to his people over sin and
death!
God is our comfort in Christ!
Outline
JOB: A READING
STATEGY
Purpose: Suffering- - Why? Also: Who
is Wise?
Reading Strategy: A play in five acts
1.
Prologue (1-2)
2.
Job’s dialogue with his “friends” (3-31)
3.
Elihu’s Monologue (32-37)
4.
God’s speech to Job (38-42:6)
5.
Epilogue (42:7-17)
I.
Prologue
(1-2)-
II.
Job’s
Dialogue with his “friends” (3-31)-
A.
B.
C.
D.
III.
Elihu’s
Monologue (32-37)-
IV.
God’s Speech/Explanation
to Job (38-42:6)
V.
Epilogue
(42:7-17)-
LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF JOB
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
CRB
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